Harmonica

[Don Corathers]

That would be blues harp, I reckon.

Best advice I have for learning how to play is to get some Sonny Terry and
Brownie McGee records and try to sound like that. The authoritative--which
is to say, only, as far as I know--book on blues harp is by Tony Glover. May
be out of print, but I see it in used book stores every now and then.

If you're bending notes and they don't sound bluesy, it may be that you're
playing a C-harp, which is a pretty white-bread key. Try an A, a G, or a
B-flat.

Or you could let it marinate in the plumbing for a while, like our friend
Tom did.

Don

----- Original Message -----
From: Michael D. Workman <m-workman at nwu.edu>
To: <Pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 5:32 PM
Subject: NP: Harmonica


> Howdy,
>
> Trying to get a few tips on how to play that Jew's harp, that E.M. Hoener,
> that damn-blasted piece of metal and reeds...if anybody knows any. I've
> recently been working through the single-note pucker and note bending, but
> just can't seem to hear that bluesy sound I'm going for. Anybody have
> suggestions, references, insider tricks that they wouldn't mind sharing?
>
> Much obliged.
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Michael Workman, Proprietor
> Underworld Used Books
> 1331 North Ashland Ave.
> Chicago, IL 60622
> Daytime: (312) 908-4963
> Store: (773) 395-8454
>
> Open Tue-Fri 6-10:30
> Sat 12-10:30
> Sun 12-7
> Closed Mondays
>